


Where the Love Light Gleams

by mhunter10



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Chatting & Messaging, Christmas, Comfort, Cute Kids, Fluff, Future Fic, Ian is in the Army, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2013-12-29
Packaged: 2018-01-06 13:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1107354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mhunter10/pseuds/mhunter10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the days leading up to Christmas, Santa brings a Gallagher and a Milkovich everything they want.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. December 21

Mickey slowly closed the door of his room and sat back on the bed, pulling the laptop back onto his lap and putting the screen up. Ian appeared back on the screen in shitty grainy texture, a further reminder of exactly how far away he was from the world of high-speed internet connection. He smiled when he saw Mickey.

“You’re back,” he chuckled, re-angling the crappy clip-on camera on the equally crappy laptop.

“Yeah, had to take care of that. Sorry.”

Ian’s shrug was a frozen pixelation. “It’s okay. We still got some time.”

Mickey sighed. “I hate this. It’s fucking stupid. Can’t you just tell them to fuck off?”

“You know I can’t, Mick. A lot of us are lucky they even allow this,” Ian looked down as he spoke, feeling guilty just like every time this came up in their conversations. He knew it wasn’t really anyone’s fault, but sometimes he got annoyed with it as much as Mickey did.

Mickey didn’t mean to make Ian feel bad, especially when he was just following orders. On certain days it just felt like more of a punishment, than a reward. “Look, I know you can’t tell me why they have it this way, so I won’t ask. It just…,” Mickey looked away a second, thinking, “…it’s just you’re missing so much. And everybody misses you, and this is bullshit.” What Mickey didn’t say was that above all else, he missed him, too. Sure he’d said it once or twice, but that was in the beginning. It got to a point where it was a given, and saying it wasn’t going to change or help anything.

“I know,” Ian ran a hand through his short hair. What else could he say? His eyes flicked over to the giant clock on the wall of the room. He hated that thing, always ticking away his time. There was never enough when it came to talking with Mickey, or anyone else in his family. Fortunately they still had a while. “Can we talk about something else?”

“What, like how was your day?” Mickey scoffed.

“Don’t do this, Mickey. This is the only time I have to get away from it all, so can we not make this about what’s going on here? Please?” He didn’t look into the camera.

Mickey was silent for a minute, knowing what Ian had really just said. “Bad, huh?”

“Mick, please,” his eyes were pleading, but there was a subtle glint of reassurance. He knew what Mickey was trying to do and he was grateful to have someone who knew him so well.

“Went shopping with Mandy today. Practically had to pull her off of some woman,” Mickey laughed.

Ian grinned, thankful for the subject change. “Yeah? She get in a good hit?”

“Nah, security was coming, but she got the sweater, though.”

“That was over a sweater?” Ian laughed.

Mickey nodded, “You know Mandy. But we heard worse had gone down at a Victoria’s Secret.”

“Gives knew meaning to the phrase ‘don’t get your panties in a bunch’, huh?”

Mickey laughed, shaking the laptop. “You’re stupid.”

Ian held up his hand, “Hey, the guys here love my humor, alright?”

“Is that what they said? Because I think they might have taken a few too many blows to the head.”

“Shut up. I’m funny.”

“Yep. A goddamn comedian,” Mickey rolled his eyes, but smiled at Ian making a face at him.

“Whatever. Did you get any shopping done?”

“Are you kidding? It was a madhouse in there. I barely got through the parking lot without shanking someone,” Mickey shook his head.

“Mickey, Christmas is in four days. Three since today is technically over already.”

“The malls are open late. I could still go now. Maybe it won’t be as bad.”

“Yeah, if you want whatever is left over. And no you can’t go now.”

“Why not?”

“You know why not.”

Mickey exhaled loudly. “I’m mostly done with my list anyway. Just got one or three more things to get. No problem.”

Ian yawned and rubbed at his eyes. “If you say so. I think I have one more thing to get…”

Mickey raised an eyebrow, “What? How?”

“They’re not monsters, Mick. We got some extra time to do some online shopping if we wanted. It’s no big deal.”

Mickey straightened up. “No big deal? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s not like we could have talked, Mick. The time was just specifically for that.”

“Oh, you can have an hour to buy shit for people you won’t even be able to personally give it to, but they can’t let you have a few extra minutes to say goodnight to your kids?” Mickey tried to keep his voice down, but he was upset. He took some deep breaths, listening for any signs that he’d woken anybody with his outburst.

“This is why I didn’t tell you. I knew you would get this way,” Ian said softly, more to himself.

“And what way is that? Worried? Concerned? Sick and tired of the military controlling when I can and can’t talk to my fucking husband who they sent to God knows where?” Mickey’s voice was harsh, but controlled, as he stared into the screen.

“Mickey, I’m sorry—”

“Yeah, me too,” he said flippantly. “They’re three and almost one, Ian! They don’t understand secret government protocols and bullshit wars. All they know is that their dad won’t be home for Christmas.”

“Don’t you think I know that, Mickey? I know, it’s sucks, but that’s just the way things are!” Ian looked at the clock. “Fuck.”

“You have to go.” It wasn’t a question for Mickey. Not anymore.

Ian looked at Mickey and saw that his anger had been replaced with so many things. He wished he could just reach through the screen and touch him; caress his face and hold him and tell him he was sorry…and that he was sorry for not being sorry about joining the army. “Baby,” he said softly, but Mickey shot him a look so he started again, “Mickey, my time is up. I don’t want to end it with you mad at me. I won’t.” He sighed and looked down, fingering the thread of his fatigues.

Mickey watched him for a while, feeling slightly ashamed for causing tension. That wasn’t what they needed at all. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly, toying with the silver band on his finger.

Ian looked up and nodded slowly, noticing he had been doing the same thing. His eyes flicked to the time again and he visibly sank. “Kiss Aubrey and Terrance, will you? Tell them I love them.” His voice cracked and he sniffled a bit.

“Always do.” He couldn’t look at his husband’s reddening face, but it was weirdly comforting because he could see how much he cared.

Ian laughed weakly, “Then tell you I love you.”

Mickey snorted. “You’re stupid.”

“My daughter thinks I’m hilarious, thank you very much.”

“She thinks it’s funny when I fart, Gallagher,” Mickey teased.

“You trying to say my comedy stinks?” He smiled at Mickey’s stifled laughter.

“Nah. I’m trying to say my son will have a better sense of what’s funny.”

“Psh, he can’t even laugh yet,” Ian waved him off.

“Yes he can.”

“No!” Ian exclaimed with surprised disbelief.

“Mhm, he’s getting the hang of it.” Mickey beamed with pride.

“You sure it’s not just gas?”

Mickey rolled his eyes. “I’m sure. I’ll just keep showing him a picture of your face and he’ll be laughing by Christmas.” He stuck his tongue out.

Ian sucked his teeth then turned when he heard a knock behind him. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow, okay? Promise.”

Mickey nodded, smiling to keep from frowning. Ian blew him a kiss, knowing he hated that, and then the screen went blank.


	2. December 22

“When are you coming home, daddy?” Aubrey whined, poking her lips in a pout with a sad look on her face. She was sitting at their dining room table…well, more like fidgeting.

Ian steeled himself. He knew the question was coming, only it kept getting earlier and earlier in their conversations. They’d only been talking for half an hour this time before she dropped that bomb of a question on him. Dodging real bombs seemed like cake after talking to his daughter. It happened every time, without fail, and it just made Ian’s heart hurt so bad. “Not for a while, sweetheart. You know that.” That was always his answer. He hated it. He could hear her next question even before she said it.

“But daddy how long is a while?” God, her little voice coming through the shitty speakers could tear him in two.

“Daddy is doing important work and important work takes a long time,” Mickey answered, seeing Ian’s mouth open and shut, unsure what to say.

“But Mimi, how long is a long time?” Aubrey looked up at her other dad, who was standing behind her then, holding her baby brother.

Mickey’s jaw clenched slightly at hearing the name his kid called him. He didn’t know how many times he’d tried to get her to call him something..anything else, but nothing stuck. And now he was stuck being called Mimi because she couldn’t say ‘Mickey’ right when she was younger. Why was he being punished?

Ian couldn’t help but snort or grin whenever his daughter used that name. Mickey was always trying to get her to call him ‘daddy’ too, which she did sometimes. But when she really wanted his attention, she called him Mimi. Ian always thought she secretly knew what she was doing, and he just let her…because it was funny as fuck. Mickey glared at him.

“Hey, Aubrey, what did you draw today with Deb?” Mickey deflected like a true parent, switching his son to his other hip and bouncing him as he cooed and squealed.

The little girl’s face lit up with a grin that screamed Ian Gallagher. “I made, I made a Christmas tree!” She yelled with excitement, standing up on the chair and jumping.

“Ay, butt in the seat, kid.” Mickey made her sit back down, then grabbed something off screen. She took it from him, beaming and bouncing.

“Look look look! I did this and this and Deb cut it out and I put this sticker on it right here, daddy!” Suddenly the entire frame was all green construction paper and glitter and string, as she held it up to the camera waay too close.

“Wow, Aubrey, that’s so good! I love that!” Ian said genuinely, smiling as her lightly-freckled face replaced the tree. She grinned proudly, twirling her finger in her short brown curls. He could see Mickey in the back rolling his eyes, but smiling too. He looked happy walking back and forth with a baby; something neither of them would ever imagine. Ian just wanted to hold the little boy he hadn’t seen since he was two months. He had the cutest dimples in his cheeks that neither of them knew where they came from, but his dark hair and eyes were definitely Milkovich. “Bring Tey over, Mick. Let me see this little dude who apparently laughs now.”

Mickey laughed, dragging another chair over and sitting down. He seated Terrance on the table just in front of the laptop, so Ian could get a good view. “Bet he won’t do it now.”

“You’re probably right,” Ian chuckled. “He’s getting so big! Every time I see him, he’s chubbier and chubbier.” He marveled at the boy in awe, waving and smiling wide.

Mickey kissed one chubby cheek and poked at his belly. “Look at these fat legs. This guy can eat.”

“Like his daddy,” Ian joked.

Mickey nodded, unable to resist kissing those smooth baby cheeks again. “He better.” He made snorting noises against them and pretended he was eating them, making the little boy’s face scrunch up in amusement as he giggled.

Ian felt like his chest was going to explode from the sound. It was amazing. His face hurt from smiling so much, but he couldn’t stop. Aubrey stood up to reach her brother, copying Mickey’s actions and tickling him, and it was all just too much. Ian felt tears sting his eyes, but he didn’t know if he was extremely happy or extremely sad. He wanted to be there so bad, making their daughter smile and their son laugh. It was bittersweet torture.

Aubrey looked at her father confused, sitting back down. “Daddy, why are you crying?” All attempts at making her brother squirm and scream had stopped because she had seen his face. Mickey looked too when he heard this.

Ian wiped at his eyes quickly and sniffed. “Daddy wishes he could be there with you guys.”

“Me too, daddy…” she says quietly, and Ian almost breaks completely.

“Yeah?” He gives a half-smile.

“Mhm,” she nods, “…and daddy.”

Mickey’s eyes dart to the screen then away. He pulls Terrance into his lap and cradles him.

“Does he?” Ian catches his husband’s eye.

“He cries and then I say ‘It’s okay, Mimi’” she looks to Mickey and puts her little hand on his arm.

“I don’t know what she’s talking about,” he says, shaking his head. He knows he’s lying, and he knows Ian knows. It had been a rare occurrence. He hadn’t expected her to remember..not that it was long ago. It had been at night and he was lying in bed with her in his arms, trying to get her to go to sleep. He didn’t know what really triggered it, but it was probably a combination of holding her and what he’d seen on the news that night. She’d reached up and touched his wet face, looking and acting so much like the man he missed in that moment that Mickey couldn’t hold back anymore. It was the only time he hadn’t gotten annoyed with her calling him that. Ian’s just looking at him now like he just saw the whole memory replayed on his face. “What?”

“Nothing.” He looks up at the clock and sighs. He turns back to his family. “Who did your nails, sweetie? They look pretty,” he smiles at his daughter, not wanting the time to end.

She looks down at them and giggles bashfully, “Auntie Mandy.”

“Auntie Mandy, huh? Is orange your favorite color?”

Aubrey nods enthusiastically. “And purple.”

“Oh really? I like purple too, but green is my favorite.”

“I like yellow too, daddy. Mimi, what color do you like?” Aubrey turned to Mickey, who was rocking a now sleeping Terrance.

“Yeah, Mimi…what color is your favorite?” Ian teased, just to see his husband’s face go red.

Mickey rolled his eyes, then poked his tongue into the corner of his mouth and grinned. “Firecrotch red.”

Ian busted out laughing. “Mick! She’s right there.”

Mickey shrugged and chuckled, waking his baby boy. “Whoops.” He slipped a pacifier in his mouth and rocked him until his eyes closed again.

“What’s firecrotch?” Aubrey asked, looking between her daddies.

“Nothing, kid. You want spaghetti?” He asked. He was getting good at this avoiding questions thing…or maybe perfecting his art.

“Yes! Yes!” She jumped up and out of her chair, screeching a song she was making up on the spot about the stuff.

“Yo!” He put his finger to his lips to signal for her to be quiet. “Say bye to daddy first, then go wash your hands, okay?”

Aubrey pranced over to the laptop and waved to the camera. “Bye bye, daddy!”

Ian blew her a kiss. “Be good. Love you!” She ran off towards the bathroom, singing her song again.

“Sorry, he’s asleep,” Mickey said.

“It’s okay. I got what I wanted.”

Mickey laughed. “Well, he knows a lot of tricks. Maybe he’ll roll over for you next time.”

“I hope so.” They smiled at each other.

“Daddy, can Tey have spaghetti. too?” Aubrey yelled from the hall.

“No! Bye.”

Ian chuckled, “Bye, Mimi.”

Mickey closed the laptop.


	3. December 23

“C’mon,” Mickey egged seductively, licking his lips and looking right into the camera.

Ian flushed red, grinning slightly, “No, Mick. You know I can’t…”

“Why not? What’s the deal?”

“The deal?” Ian laughed, “The deal is I’m pretty sure there’s cameras in here.”

“And? What do they think guys trapped in the fucking desert are gonna do when they’re not talking to their loved ones like good soldiers?” Mickey reasoned, absently rubbing his chest through his shirt. It was late and Mickey was lying in their bed with the lights out. Aubrey and Terrance had long been asleep. He was feeling a certain kind of way.

Ian shrugged, unsure if he really had the resolve to keep arguing with the image of his husband slipping his shirt over his head and getting comfortable. Man he wished he was in that bed right now. Now Mickey had a hand in his boxers, and Ian felt himself twitch in his uniform.

“Mick,” he said breathlessly, as a last…something. Warning? No. Definitely not with the obscene movement happening below Mickey’s waist. Ian’s heart beat faster and it was getting warm in that room.

Mickey’s eyes were half-lidded, as he moaned a little at the soft stroke of his hand. “So the U.S. government has video of you jacking it with your partner,” Mickey’s voice was low and ragged, “What’s one more tape to the millions?” He bit his lip and raised an eyebrow at the other man.

“Billions,” Ian answered in an equally lust-filled voice. A moment passed between them where they just stared at each other through the grainy technology; Mickey’s hand tenting his boxers as it moved up and down, and Ian looking from the action to Mickey’s eyes. Suddenly his hands were flying to his belt, as he looked around like he was expecting someone to be standing there the minute he decided to give in to this over-due exchange. When he got his pants undone, he pulled them all the way down to his ankles. He sank down in the chair trying to relax himself before the adrenaline and need got to be too much. He pulled himself out of his boxers and started to follow Mickey’s pace, as he finally showed himself to Ian.

“Fuck,” he huffed, gripping tight and pulling his shirt up to reveal his abs, “…I’ve missed this. Miss you.”

Mickey grunted, twisting his wrist. He spit into his hand and continued picking up his pace. The laptop shook on top of his slightly spread legs, but he didn’t really care as long as he could still see Ian massaging his chest and tweaking his nipples, as his muscled arm pumped. Although, it was getting harder to keep his eyes completely open, and it looked like Ian was having the same problem. They grinned at each other, almost laughing but too far gone to really access the humor in the two of them acting like they were teenagers again.

“Ugh, yeah…” Mickey panted, snaking a hand between his legs til his fingers found where they wanted to go. He groaned when they hit their destination, and his legs jolted a little, making the laptop shift. But Mickey kept both hands preoccupied. His chest rose and fell fast, and he was making quiet noises through his open mouth.

“So hot, “ Ian commented, jerking himself harder. “God, baby….Mickey.” He licked his lips and rubbed his hand all over his chest, feeling his hot skin tensing with mounting stimulation. His legs were shaking at watching Mickey’s legs shake with every finger he added inside himself. Damn, he wished it were his fingers…his tongue….all of him. He just wanted to be inside his husband in every way possible right that second, but he’d settle for looking at his face: eyes dark and hooded, mouth slack and skin glistening in pleasure. He could tell Mickey was getting close because he was making shaky whimpering sounds and his abs were twitching, pulling his climax up from his toes. “You gonna come, Mickey?”

Mickey could barely register what Ian had just said to him, his release building rapidly. He nodded his head and bit at his lip, trying to keep his moaning at bay. He saw Ian’s hips humping, fucking himself into his hand like it was Mickey’s tightness surrounding it. That was all he needed. “I’m gonna come..I”m gonna…fuck, ah!” Mickey came hard, stroking himself through it and shoving his fingers in deep to brush that spot in him that would make it hurt good. He opened his eyes just in time to watch Ian lift his shirt out of the way and erupt all over his stomach and chest.

“Mmm, yeaah..yeah, shit!” Ian gritted, breathing hard and throwing his head back.

“Damn that was good,” Mickey said, wiping himself off with his discarded shirt and fixing the laptop that was about to fall off his lap.

“Mh,” Ian agreed, still spasming slightly. He reached off to the side and produced a few tissues, cleaning up and pulling his pants back up. Mickey had a satisfied look on his face with a hint of sadness, and Ian couldn’t help but think he looked the same. “Good one for the secret files at the Pentagon,” he joked halfheartedly, smiling at the other man.

Mickey blew air from his nose in an almost-laugh. “Yeah. If that is where they’re kept. Probably end up on some porn site, “ he grinned, poking his tongue out. He yawned, suddenly feeling exhausted.

“Hey, “ Ian yawned, “…you’re making me tired.”

“Wish I could have made you tired in person,” he said quietly, looking away.

Ian sighed, “Me too.”

They were quiet for a while, not really wanting to say what they both wanted to. It was easy to let themselves go for a quickie. There were no words involved. But now they feared tainting the moment by bringing in all their emotions. How would they look crying over something that wasn’t going to change?

“I…” Mickey started, but was interrupted by the beginning sounds of crying coming from the next room. He let out his breath, deflating. “I wish I could say it was your turn.”

Ian chuckled, although he wondered what Mickey was actually going to say. “Too bad. He’s probably just wet.”

Mickey nodded, rolling his eyes. “Can you stay?”

Ian thought his heart would explode at hearing Mickey say those words. Even in the different context, there was something behind them that probably had a lot to do with what he wanted to say before. He turned to check the clock then nodded.

“Cool.” Mickey got up and went to his son, soothing his cries with a soft voice. Ian couldn’t hear any of this, but knowing the way Mickey became with that kid, it wasn’t hard for him to imagine. When he came back, he had the little boy with him. His eyes were still wet with tears, as Mickey sat down on the bed with him. He wiped his face and kissed his forehead, cradling him in his arms. “You were right. Little guy just needed a change.”

Ian laughed, “I’m always right.” He waved a hand to him and smiled wide, “Hi, Tey.”

“Nuh uh,” Mickey said, scrunching his face up.

“Pretty sure I am, Mick.” Ian said this while making faces at the boy, but he only looked too tired for his antics. He whined a little and put his face in Mickey’s chest. He loved watching the two together.

“Like you were pretty sure about those cameras.” Mickey rocked Terrance for a bit until he was asleep again, then asked for the time.

“Looks like I’ve got to go,” Ian said, rubbing his face in his hands and exhaling loudly.

Mickey looked down at the sleeping baby boy in his arms, then back up at his husband. He didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t say anything.

“It’s almost Christmas Eve,” Ian said, checking his watch like it might tell him he still had hours to keep talking to his man. But all it said was that he was getting closer to not being with him on a major holiday.

“Talk to you tomorrow?” Mickey asked, not wanting to drag it out much longer because it would only suck more.

“Of course,” Ian answered. “Love you.”

“Yeah.”


	4. December 24

“But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight, Me-”

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!” Aubrey shrieked with glee, cutting her father off. She giggled and clapped a sticky-sugary hand to her mouth. “Oops.”

Ian laughed, eying Mickey as he shook his head with a smile. “Yeah, ‘oops’, you silly girl. I thought I was reading the story.”

“That’s her favorite part,” Mickey state, sounding like he learned that the hard way. It wasn’t so much hard, as…annoying. That girl would make him read that story all year round, if he didn’t have a specific rule against it. She’d sit quietly and listen in awe the whole time, until he got to the last line, then it was like she couldn’t keep it in anymore. She’d burst out the well-versed ending, laughing when he thought he could even cover her mouth or read over her. Nope. She was as stubborn and goofy, as her dad.

“Is it, Aubrey?” Ian questioned, closing the tab with the famous holiday poem and biting into his candy-cane.

She nodded, as she sucked on the curved bit of hers. “Yes!”

Ian chuckled at the mess she was making of it. It was another one of those moments where he wished he was even in the same continent as his little family. They were increasing heavily and it was getting more difficult to navigate when they sprang up even when he wasn’t chatting with them via shitty web-cam. He looked on, smiling and admittedly not really listening to his daughter explain how the peppermint made her mouth feel cold and tingly. Mickey’s candy-cane stuck out of the side of his mouth like a pipe, as he frowned at the stains on her pajamas.

“Ay, kid, you’re getting that everywhere but in your mouth.” He wiped her hands and mouth with a napkin, and tried not to laugh when she pulled away impatiently. It was weird how she had some Milkovich in her that way, but she was pure Gallagher ninety-eight percent of the time. “I think you’re done for the rest of the year.”

The little girl pulled her hand away before Mickey could reach to take it away. “But no, Mimi!” She whined.

“Yes, Bree.” Mickey held his hand out, giving her a chance to obey his stern look she knew very well not to ignore.

“Aw, c’mon, Mick. It’s Christmas Eve. Let her have it.”

Mickey turned back to the screen with wide eyes. “Do you know how many of these she’s had today alone?”

Ian snorted, snapping off another bite and crunching it loudly. “No. How many?”

Mickey rolled his eyes. “Aubrey, tell daddy how many candy-canes you ate today.”

Aubrey giggled and stuck her hand out to the camera with a grin on her face.

“How many is that, sweetie?” Ian never wanted this session to end.

“1..2…3..,” she counted, holding her little fingers like Mickey taught her, “..4…5!” She beamed with pride. Somehow during all the distraction, her candy-cane had managed to disappear. Her tongue poked out to lick the sugar from her lips.

Ian feigned surprise. “What? Five? I’ve only had two.” He held up two fingers to show her.

She smiled. “You have to eat more, daddy!”

“I don’t know, Bree. I don’t think I can eat as many as you.”

Aubrey twisted around and stood up in her chair so she was in her dad’s face. “Mimi, how many is five? Is it a lot?”

Mickey pulled her into his lap and tickled her tummy. “Yes it is! Too many! You can have another one tomorrow.” He grinned, as she squirmed and giggled in his lap. Her squeals could’ve broken the speakers. They definitely broke something inside Ian.

He watched as his husband stopped his onslaught and let her fall limp over his legs, out of breath and red in the face.

“Is Christmas tomorrow?”

Both men answered her at the same time, which made her laugh again.

“So that means you have to go to bed soon, right?” Mickey asked, pulling her up to sit properly in his lap, straddling his waist. He fixed her skewed pajamas and kissed her cheek.

She yawned and rubbed her eyes. “Why? I want to stay up,” she pouted, looking at Mickey through her long lashes. God, she was too much like Ian.

“You can’t, baby girl,” Mickey said, rubbing her back. He sensed a meltdown coming.

Sure enough, her voice started to tremble. “But why not? I don’t want to go to bed.”

“You don’t want Santa to come and leave you presents?” Ian chimed in, also sensing the inevitable tears.

The little girl shook her head, a tear rolling down her face that Mickey didn’t let get far. “Noo. I don’t want it to be Christmas, “ she turned around in Mickey’s lap and got closer to the laptop, sniffling, “I want to stay up and talk with you, daddy.” Her voice was high when it finally broke; her face melting into her sadness and getting wet with her crying.

“Hey, hey,” Mickey shushed her and pulled her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued to cry into his shoulder, getting his tank damp. He rubbed her back and kissed her face and hair. “Bree, it’s okay.”

“Daadddyy,” she wailed, turning in Mickey’s arms to reach out to the stupid machine keeping her daddy from picking her up and holding her.

“I’m right here,” Ian choked out, wiping his eyes and sniffing hard. He was dying to reach out and comfort her and be there for her and hug her close, but he couldn’t and it was killing him. It was physically hurting him not to be able to just be in the same room as her, and he felt ashamed at the flash of jealousy towards his husband, who was wiping her tears and calming her with soft words and kisses.

“Aubrey,” Mickey said quietly, holding her face in his hands, “…you have to calm down, baby. Tey is sleeping, okay?”

“Tey Tey is sleeping?” She said between quick breaths and whimpers, trying to self-soothe. Her nose was snotty and her face was streaked with tears.

Mickey nodded, “Mhm.” He took a tissue to the mess and cleaned her up.

She seemed to think about that for a minute, then resolved to take a few deep breaths, deciding not to wake her baby brother because he was little. “Okay.”

“I know you miss daddy and want him to be here for Christmas, but you remember what he’s doing?”

She sniffed, looking down. “Working…”

“That’s right. He’s very important and he’s helping people, but he has to be far away to do it. Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Her lip tried to tremble, but she wouldn’t let it.

Mickey looked up at the camera and locked eyes with his man. He looked a wreck, like he might have a meltdown like his daughter any second. But he could see he was really trying to hold it together…for his daughter and him. He lifted his eyebrow in a silent question, and Ian nodded the answer.

“Okay, Aubrey, daddy has to go now. So you can say goodnight, but then you gotta go to bed, alright?” Mickey gave her a look that said he wouldn’t have an argument, but her being Ian’s daughter made that impossible.

“But Mimi—”

“Aubrey, listen to daddy, okay?” Ian stepped in, sobering up enough to parent without blubbering. He cleared his throat of the tears he wanted to let loose. His daughter turned and looked at him for a moment, probably seeing how sad he looked and wondering if it was her fault.

“I’m gonna go check on Tey,” Mickey mumbled, maneuvering so he slid out of his chair and replaced her in it. He kissed her on top of her head then went off to the room.

“Did you like when I read the story?” Ian asked, taking in everything he could about the little girl sitting in front of him.

Aubrey nodded slowly, “Uhuh.”

“You like the ending, huh?” He smiled.

Her head popped up at the mention of her favorite part of the story. She couldn’t help but give in to the smile tugging at her mouth.

Ian chuckled, knowing exactly what to do to get it to its full potential. “How does it go again? But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight…” he waited, encouraging her with a nod.

“Merry Christmas to all,” she started softly and almost unsure, but it quickly changed as she thought of how to finish. “And to daddy, goodnight!” She beamed at how clever she was.

And that thing Ian thought broke inside him, shattered into a million more tiny pieces of how much he loved his daughter and his son and his husband. He didn’t want to cry about them anymore. He couldn’t even imagine not being with them another day.

“I love you, Aubrey,” he got out, “…listen to Mimi and go to bed now so Santa can come.”

“Okay.” She got up and started to leave, but then turned back to the screen and blew Ian a kiss using both hands, giggling when he mimed catching it and holding it to his heart. That was their thing and it would always be their thing.

“Good girl,” he smiled. It was a few minutes before Mickey returned, but Ian was glad to see he did. “You were listening the whole time, weren’t you?” He joked, laughing.

Mickey shrugged, plopping down into the chair and running a hand through his hair. “You two are a bunch of saps. How did I get stuck with you guys?” He cocked his head and poked his tongue into the side of his mouth, downplaying his grin.

“I think it was when you asked me to, like, marry you or some shit. Those were the exact words you used, too.” He laughed at the face Mickey pulled.

“Yeah, yeah,” Mickey waved him off, smiling to himself at the memory that was way more romantic and cheesy than he wanted to remember. He went silent for a while, reminiscing and trying to remember everything about that night and every night after leading up to Ian’s second deployment. He wanted to remember what it felt like to have him close enough to touch, to feel him on every part of him.

“You okay?” Ian asked out of habit, despite knowing the answer.

Mickey sighed and looked up at him, putting on a brave face, a Milkovich front. “Yeah, just remembering that you were a sap then, too.”

Ian rolled his eyes, because that was what Mickey wanted when he responded with his idea of the truth. “Then you should have seen it coming, dummy.” Ian stuck his tongue out and Mickey shook his head. He checked the time and immediately felt all the happiness drain out of him it seemed. “They asleep?”

“Mhm.”

“Guess that means Santa can come,” he teased, only slightly emphasizing the innuendo.

Mickey rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Oh Santa’s coming, alright. After he puts the presents under the tree.” He gave his husband that look that he knew got him hot.

“Mm,” Ian smiled, adjusting himself. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah, on this shitty excuse for a computer.”

“Oh, okay. Yeah, tomorrow.”


	5. December 25

“Merry Christmas, daddy!” Aubrey sing-songed loudly into the camera. Her smile was wide, showing all her little teeth and making her cheeks even chubbier.

“Merry Christmas, baby girl, “ Ian beamed, waving at his daughter.

“Hey, what are we, chopped liver?” Mickey growled jokingly, holding his son in his lap and making his little hand wave. He was cooing and babbling away happily, ignorant of anything special about the day.

Ian rolled his eyes but couldn’t keep the huge grin off his face because his whole little family was wearing bright red Santa hats. “Hi, baby….and Tey,” Mickey scowled at him, “…you guys look great! Where’d you get those?”

“Aunt Fiona got us them,” Aubrey informed her father, while fixing it atop her head of curls.

“Of course she did,” Ian laughed, “I’m surprised, Mick. You look good as one of Santa’s helpers.”

“Shut up. Tey’s the one wearing the elf onesie, here,” he picked him up to show Ian, smug pride on his face at the little outfit he picked out. “Besides, she said she’d rip my…jingle bells off if I didn’t wear it.”

Ian snorted. “God, I hope she got pictures.”

Mickey sighed, “She did.” Ian clapped his hands with glee.

“Daddy look what Santa brought me! Look!” she produced a handful of Barbies from her lap and even two Kens, a littler girl and a baby. She held up the two different plastic males. “Look it’s you and Mimi and this is me and this is baby Tey!” She giggled at Ian’s surprised face.

“Oh wow, Aubrey! That’s so cool that it’s us.”

“Uhuh and we all live together in the house I got!”

“There’s a house, too?” The little girl nodded excitedly, knocking several of the dolls off the table.

“Yeah,” Mickey chimed in sounding exasperated, “I had to put it together.”

“I was a good girl this year, daddy,” she smiled in full angel mode, making both her dads chuckle.

“I can see that, sweetie. What else did you get?” he asked.

“Candy!” She shouted, already showing the amount of sugar in her system. “And big girl underwear like daddy,” she giggled.

Ian lifted an eyebrow and snorted. “Mimi got big girl underwear?” he teased, smirking at Mickey.

“Yes!”

“No!” Mickey corrected. “Mandy just got me some boxer-briefs,” he sort of mumbled, going slightly red.

“Ooh, can I see?” Ian wiggled his eyebrows.

Mickey poked his tongue into the corner of his mouth and glanced at his daughter. “Later, you doofus.” He winked, then hid his flushed face behind a kiss to his son’s cheek. to his husband.

Ian grinned, shaking his head. It was always so easy to get Mickey turned on, but he missed being able to do something about it. “What else did my two men get, huh?”

Mickey rolled his eyes and bounced Terrance, who was getting fussy in his lap. He stood him up on his knees and held him by his hands, watching him wobble on his chubby legs. “Iggy got Tey some pretty cool little boots he’s gonna grow into, and me some tickets to a few MMA fights.”

“Nice.”

“Yeah, should be sweet. I’ll probably go with him and one of the guys from work.”

Ian nodded, feeling sort of weird at how casual it was for Mickey to substitute other people into his life. Normally Ian was the first one in line for everything, but now it seemed Mickey had gotten comfortable automatically replacing him. They said army spouses coped after a while, but it still kind of stung. “Bet you can’t wait to take Tey with you to games and stuff.”

Mickey smiled to himself and nodded, “We’re gonna have some fun, alright.”

“Hey what about me?” Aubrey piped up, even though she had been on the floor playing with her toys, and apparently listening to every word her dads were saying. It was a sneaky habit she had that sometimes got her into trouble. She stood up and leaned across Mickey’s lap, waiting for him to answer.

“Of course, Bree. Daddy will take you wherever you want to go,” Ian answered for Mickey with a grin on his face.

“Yay!” she squealed, standing back up and doing a sort of dance. Her hat had stayed in Mickey’s lap.

Mickey sneered at him, holding Terrance in his arms and putting his pacifier in his mouth. He guessed these sessions were getting old real quick and he was over it, squirming and making noises of protest. “Hey, wait. Where are you? It’s different.” He leaned closer like maybe he was just seeing wrong, but it definitely wasn’t the same room he’d been seeing behind Ian for the past year.

Ian looked around him like he might see something different than what he was being told. “Different base.”

“You guys moved?”

“Yeah. Last minute thing. You know.” Ian waved his hand, not looking at Mickey.

Mickey shook his head slowly, “No. So where are you now? Are you outside?”

Ian thought for a moment, watching his son struggle and whine in the other man’s arms. Mickey kept rocking him, but it was clear he just wanted to get away. He was still waiting for him to say something, looking annoyed but a little worried. Ian hated that his job made people worry about him. And that it made him worry that they weren’t worrying about him. Aubrey came back into view and started tugging at his arm, trying to get his attention about something she “fixed” on her Barbie house.

Terrance’s hat fell off, as he finally broke down and started crying loudly, upset that his dad was making him stay in one spot for all eternity. He was probably a little tired, too, considering how late it was. Mickey looked like he might explode between his son wailing, his daughter pulling him and wondering why Ian hadn’t answered him yet.

“Mimi! Mimi come on! I wanna show you something!” Aubrey seemed to be getting louder to be heard over her baby brother, who seemed to always be taking up her dad’s time. She was pouting now and calling him over and over.

“Bree, quit it, would you?” Mickey semi-snapped at her, instantly feeling bad when he saw her face.

Finally Ian spoke up. “Aubrey, did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?”

She turned to her other dad and thought about his question. At first she nodded, but then she shook her head.

“No? Well I think Santa might have forgot a few things outside.” Ian couldn’t keep from smiling, knowing all too well what he was setting up.

Mickey got Tey calm enough to cock his head at what he just heard. “Outside? What are you talking about, Gallagher?” He was so confused and exhausted. He didn’t need any of Ian’s stupid games right now, but of course Aubrey would get excited.

“Really?” She screeched. “Can we go see, daddy? Please? Can we? Let’s go!” Before Mickey could say anything, she took off towards the door in only her pajamas and house shoes.

“Aubrey, wait!” Mickey called after her, but she was out the door already. “What is this about?” He turned and asked Ian, who was watching all this and giggling to himself.

“I sent some gifts. They should be there.” He said with laughter still in his voice.

“Now? It’s going on nine, man!”

But all Ian did was shrug and laugh more. “Just go see, Mick. Our daughter is out there in the dark.” Mickey gave him one last look, squinting his eyes at him in a death stare for making him go outside in the Chicago winter cold. He heard Aubrey calling him and promptly stalked out of the room with Terrance still on his hip.

“Aubrey?” Mickey called out, stepping carefully around the ice on their front porch. He went down the stairs, thinking he would find a box or something, but all he saw was a few inches of snow. It was freezing. This was going to be bad when they all got colds. He cursed, stepping into the snow and walking around the house.

“Mimi I don’t see anything!” Aubrey yelled from the middle of the backyard. She was shivering already and the bottom of her feet must have been soaked through.

“Dammit, Gallagher,” Mickey went out to her and scooped her up in his other arm. Tey was beginning to fuss again, not liking this new scenery.

“Where are they?” She asked through a shaky breath. Her teeth were chattering and her face and hands were turning blue.

Mickey started back around the house the other way, trudging through snow and ignoring Aubrey’s protests to keep looking because Santa left presents for her. He was mad. He was cold, and he was mad. He stomped up the porch, checking around in case he missed anything, then opened the door to the house. He went in, ready to rip Ian a new one via web-camera, but there was a giant white teddybear sitting in the middle of the floor near the Christmas tree. And yeah, okay, that wasn’t there before, so where the fuck did it come from…

He set Aubrey down and she immediately ran over to it, not remembering how cold she was a second ago. She was just as confused by the sudden appearance of this rather large gift, but she wasn’t going to look Santa in the mouth, especially because the tag had just her name on it. It was for her! All for her! She let out a surprised noise and looked back at her dad like she couldn’t believe it. Mickey just looked on, still trying to force his brain into figuring this out. He walked over to the computer, but the session had disconnected. He panicked, thinking something had happened on their end and they had lost the feed, or worse that something had happened on the other end. He ran a hand through his hair, not sure what to think. He noticed one of the Santa hats was gone from the table. His thoughts raced around, trying to land on something that made sense. He scoffed then.

“Mandy?” He called out, shaking his head at being played for a fool by his own sister. Only she could come up with some elaborate plan with the redhead to give one last surprise before Christmas was over. “Mandy get out here!”

“Aunt Mandy is here?” Aubrey asked, not really pulling her attention away from her fluffy new best friend.

“Not quite.”

Mickey turned around to the voice behind him that sounded nothing like his sister’s, and found himself looking into green eyes. And those green eyes looked back at him, shining with a smile and red cheeks. But it was the person those eyes belonged to that made Mickey’s mouth open slightly and his heart beat faster. He was rooted. He couldn’t move. He was surely dreaming all of this. There was no way he was seeing what was in front of him, who was in front of him. It was a trick. It had to be because he didn’t know how many times he had wished and dreamed to see this, and now here it was and it was like it was fake; it wasn’t happening. And yet, everything seemed to click into place and make sense now, like something that had been wrong for so long was finally fixed and everything was right. Even though it felt like he couldn’t breathe, his chest swelled like it was full of fresh air after holding his breath under water or something. He dared to take a step forward, afraid that if he moved too fast it would all go away just as quick. He didn’t hear Terrance’s cries or Aubrey’s words of delight. There was nothing in that moment that could keep him from giving all his attention to the man standing in the doorway wearing army fatigues and a Santa hat.

Aubrey realized her dad had stopped talking or even paying attention to her, so she looked up and saw him making a weird face. His eyes were sort of wet like the time she saw him cry, but he had a really big smile on his face like he was really happy. “Mimi?” she tried, before finally turning to see what new thing had made him not mind her. And now she couldn’t believe her eyes, either, but it didn’t take her long to get over the shock. She sprang to her feet and ran to the only man she’d only ever wanted to see for a million years. And he was finally here.

“Daddy!” She leaped into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso, clinging on to him for dear life and never wanting to let go. “Daddy daddy daddy daddy!” She repeated, unable to form other words. This was what pulled Mickey out of his stone-like state and back to reality.

“Ian Gallagher, you messed with the wrong man.” He said slowly, his voice breaking on the end like all those years ago when he could only get out one word to his teenaged lover.

Ian smiled through his tears, pressing his face into his daughter’s shoulder for the first time in almost a year. He was so sad and so happy and so everything at once. As much as he didn’t want to let her go, he needed to get to him. He needed it so bad. He walked closer, setting her down and prying her from him. He reached out and took the little boy next, bouncing him and kissing his cheeks and squeezing him tight until he began to fidget and fuss. He laughed at how impatient he was, and it just made him want to get to the last piece in his little family more. He sat Terrance down on the floor, and stood facing the dark-haired man in front of him. They were about two feet apart, just staring at each other. It was like they didn’t know what to do now that they were finally able to do it. But it quickly passed, as Mickey closed the space between them and engulfed him in everything he’d wanted to say in those stupid sessions for months.

“I love you… I love you…love you….I missed you, I missed you so much,” Mickey was practically gasping for breath between kisses to Ian’s lips. Ian wrapped his arms around his husband and lifted him off the ground, spinning them once, making them feel light-headed and so incredibly happy. They were smiling against each others’ mouths, as they kissed over and over, pouring everything into it and holding on tight with every pass of shared breath between them. “God I missed you,” Mickey said, trying to keep his voice steady. Only a few tears had escaped and he was fighting back the rest, unlike Ian who was a wet mess. But Mickey didn’t care because he finally had his man back with him, and they were pressing close like they hadn’t been able to do for a long time.

“I missed you, baby. I love you…so much,” Ian captured Mickey’s lips again, long and hard and passionate, still holding him up. Mickey whimpered into it, still trying to wrap his head around everything that had happened in the past five minutes. Ian pulled back and looked him in the face, taking in everything that was different and what was the same and just everything he could lay his eyes on, including clear blue ones. “Mickey,” was all he could say.

Aubrey was used to her daddies acting this way and it actually made her happy to see them, but she wasn’t done with her dad yet. She tugged on his pants. “Daddy?”

At the sound of his daughter’s voice, he reluctantly set Mickey down properly and kissed him once more before turning to her and picking her back up. He hugged her close to him and rubbed her back and kissed her hair and face. “Yes, Aubrey? What is it, baby girl?”

She leaned in close and took in what her father looked like. There were more lines on his face and a few healing scars, but his face was smooth like she liked. She grabbed his face in both her little hands, he could resist surprising her with a kiss that made her giggle.

“What, you silly goose?” Ian repeated, sniffing and holding back from stealing any more kisses. He glanced over at Mickey who was frantically wiping at his nose and eyes, trying to get back into Milkovich mode but it just wasn’t working with that huge smile on his face.

Finally she took a breath and spoke quietly. “I wished for Santa to bring you home for Christmas, and he did. I got everything I wanted because you’re here, daddy.” She looked down, bashful at telling her daddy what she had asked of the man who only brought kids toys, but might grant her wish when she told him her daddy was a soldier.

Ian chocked out a laugh and hugged her tight. “Yes, I’m here. I’m home, Bree.”

Mickey scooped up Tey and joined the embrace of his husband. The little boy seemed to sense that the redhead was familiar and gave him a smile and a giggle. Ian pulled his little family in tight, first kissing Aubrey’s forehead then Terrance’s, and finally planting a kiss to Mickey’s lips.

“I’m home.”


End file.
